Patentable/Patents/US-9693279
US-9693279

Radio communications device and system, radio communications method and machine readable medium

PublishedJune 27, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

An electronic device, and a method and computer readable medium, for use of subsets of coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission cells. The device includes processing circuitry configured to select a plurality of transmission cells as the subset of the CoMP set of transmission cells used to support wireless communications with a user equipment (UE). The processing circuitry selects the plurality of transmission cells based on a message from the UE that includes aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels between the UE and corresponding transmission cells of the plurality of transmission cells.

Patent Claims
18 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. An electronic device comprising: processing circuitry including a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the processing circuitry configured to: select a plurality of transmission cells as a subset of a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set of transmission cells used to support wireless communications with a user equipment (UE), wherein the processing circuitry selects the plurality of transmission cells based on a message from the UE that includes aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels between the UE and corresponding transmission cells of the plurality of transmission cells, the aggregate CQI being determined as a function of at least (1) a precoding matrix between the UE and a transmission cell, (2) a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell, (3) a system noise, and (4) interference from other transmission cells, rank transmission cells in a cooperating set in descending order of channel quality and select a first n transmission cells to be included in the subset, and determine channel quality according to CQI i = CQI (  ∑ j = 1 P ⁢ h j H ⁢ w j  I + N ) wherein CQI i represents a channel quality indicator in a cooperating scenario i, i represents a cooperating scenario index among a plurality of cooperating scenarios, j represents an index of a transmission cell for a respective cooperating scenario, P represents a number of transmission cells in the cooperating scenario, w j represents a precoding matrix for communication between the UE and the transmission cell j, h j represents a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell j, I represents interference from other transmission cells than the cooperating set, N represents system noise, CQI(•) represents a channel quality indicator corresponding to a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), ∥•∥ represents calculation of a norm, and • H represents a conjugated transposition.

Plain English Translation

An electronic device selects a subset of transmission cells from a larger set of coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission cells to communicate wirelessly with a user equipment (UE). This selection is based on a message from the UE that includes aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels. The aggregate CQI considers factors like precoding matrices, channel matrices, system noise, and interference from other transmission cells. Transmission cells are ranked in descending order of channel quality within a cooperating set, and the top 'n' cells are chosen for the subset. Channel quality is determined using a formula that calculates a channel quality indicator (CQI) based on signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), incorporating precoding, channel characteristics, interference, and noise.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the message is a feedback message that includes a precoded message indicator (PMI) and the aggregate CQI.

Plain English Translation

The electronic device described where a subset of transmission cells are selected from a larger CoMP set based on UE feedback now specifies that the UE feedback message includes both a precoded message indicator (PMI) and the aggregate channel quality information (CQI). Therefore, the base station utilizes both PMI and CQI reported by the UE for optimized cell selection.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the feedback message includes PMI fields and CQI fields for respective base stations associated with the plurality of transmission cells.

Plain English Translation

The electronic device that selects a CoMP subset based on UE feedback containing PMI and aggregate CQI now specifies that the feedback message consists of PMI fields and CQI fields. These fields are specific to the base stations associated with the transmission cells. Each base station has corresponding PMI and CQI information within the feedback.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the feedback message includes the PMI fields interleaved with the CQI fields.

Plain English Translation

The electronic device utilizing UE feedback with PMI and CQI fields for base station selection further specifies that the PMI and CQI fields within the feedback message are interleaved. This means the PMI and CQI information from each base station is not grouped together, but rather mixed for transmission or processing.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the aggregate CQI includes respective signal to noise ratios for the plurality of transmission cells.

Plain English Translation

The electronic device selecting a CoMP subset based on UE aggregate CQI feedback now specifies that the aggregate CQI includes individual signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for each transmission cell under consideration. The cell selection process uses the individual SNRs of the cells, rather than a combined metric.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein noise in the respective signal to noise ratio includes channel noise and/or interference.

Plain English Translation

Regarding the device using individual SNRs within the aggregate CQI for CoMP subset selection, it is now clarified that the "noise" component in the signal-to-noise ratio calculation can include both channel noise and interference from other signals and cells.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to rank transmission cells into a cooperating set in descending order of power to the UE in a per-cell mode, and determine the subset of CoMP set of transmission cells from N cooperating scenarios, where a first n transmission cells cooperate to provide joint transmission to the UE, where n is a positive integer and N is a number of transmission cells in a cooperating set.

Plain English Translation

The electronic device selects transmission cells based on UE feedback, ranks transmission cells into a cooperating set by descending order of power to the UE in a per-cell mode, and selects the CoMP subset from 'N' cooperating scenarios, where 'n' transmission cells cooperate for joint transmission to the UE. The values n and N represent a positive integer and the number of transmission cells in a cooperating set respectively.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry includes in the subset of CoMP set of transmission cells only transmission cells having an increment in CQI at or above a predetermined channel quality difference threshold as compared with that for a first transmission cell, and a decrement in CQI below the predetermined channel quality difference as compared with that for the first transmission cell.

Plain English Translation

With the electronic device ranking cells by power and selecting the top 'n', only transmission cells exhibiting a CQI increase at or above a certain channel quality difference threshold when compared to the first transmission cell are included in the subset. Also, any transmission cell showing a CQI decrease below the same threshold when compared to the first transmission cell is excluded from the subset.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined channel quality difference threshold is determined based on a performance characteristic of the UE and/or a network spectrum utilization ratio.

Plain English Translation

Regarding the device utilizing a channel quality difference threshold, it is now explained that this threshold is determined based on either a performance characteristic of the user equipment (UE) or the network spectrum utilization ratio, or both. The threshold is not a fixed value but is dynamically adjusted.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to rank transmission cells based on a channel quality indicator for respective CQI components of the aggregate CQI.

Plain English Translation

In the electronic device where cells are ranked according to channel quality for CoMP subset selection, the ranking of the transmission cells is now clarified to be based on a channel quality indicator for each CQI component of the aggregate CQI. Each CQI component is evaluated separately for each cell.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry selects the first n transmission cells to be included in the subset by comparing respective channel qualities to a predetermined threshold.

Plain English Translation

Concerning the selection of the top 'n' transmission cells for inclusion in the CoMP subset, the electronic device accomplishes this by comparing the respective channel qualities of each transmission cell to a predetermined threshold value. Cells exceeding this threshold are included.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. A method comprising: selecting with processing circuitry a plurality of transmission cells as a subset of a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set of transmission cells used to support wireless communications with a user equipment (UE), wherein the selecting includes selecting the plurality of transmission cells based on a message from the UE that includes aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels between the UE and corresponding transmission cells of the plurality of transmission cells, the aggregate CQI being determined as a function of at least (1) a precoding matrix between the UE and a transmission cell, (2) a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell, (3) a system noise, and (4) interference from other transmission cells; ranking transmission cells, by the processing circuitry, in a cooperating set in descending order of channel quality and select a first n transmission cells to be included in the subset; and determining, by the processing circuitry, channel quality according to CQI i = CQI (  ∑ j = 1 P ⁢ h j H ⁢ w j  I + N ) wherein CQI i represents a channel quality indicator in a cooperating scenario i, i represents a cooperating scenario index among a plurality of cooperating scenarios, j represents an index of a transmission cell for a respective cooperating scenario, P represents a number of transmission cells in the cooperating scenario, w j represents a precoding matrix for communication between the UE and the transmission cell j, h j represents a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell j, I represents interference from other transmission cells than the cooperating set, N represents system noise, CQI(•) represents a channel quality indicator corresponding to a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), ∥•∥ represents calculation of a norm, and • H represents a conjugated transposition.

Plain English Translation

A method involves selecting a subset of transmission cells from a larger coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set for wireless communication with a user equipment (UE). The selection relies on a message from the UE containing aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels. This CQI considers precoding matrices, channel matrices, system noise, and interference. The method ranks transmission cells by channel quality and selects the top 'n' cells. Channel quality is calculated using a formula that relates CQI to signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), factoring in precoding, channel characteristics, interference, and noise.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the message is a feedback message that includes a precoded message indicator (PMI) and the aggregate CQI.

Plain English Translation

The method for selecting a CoMP subset based on UE feedback, where transmission cells are selected from a larger CoMP set based on UE feedback, now specifies that the UE feedback message includes both a precoded message indicator (PMI) and the aggregate channel quality information (CQI). Therefore, the base station utilizes both PMI and CQI reported by the UE for optimized cell selection.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the feedback message includes PMI fields and CQI fields for respective base stations associated with the plurality of transmission cells.

Plain English Translation

The method that selects a CoMP subset based on UE feedback containing PMI and aggregate CQI now specifies that the feedback message consists of PMI fields and CQI fields. These fields are specific to the base stations associated with the transmission cells. Each base station has corresponding PMI and CQI information within the feedback.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the feedback message includes the PMI fields interleaved with the CQI fields.

Plain English Translation

The method utilizing UE feedback with PMI and CQI fields for base station selection further specifies that the PMI and CQI fields within the feedback message are interleaved. This means the PMI and CQI information from each base station is not grouped together, but rather mixed for transmission or processing.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the aggregate CQI includes respective signal to noise ratios for the plurality of transmission cells.

Plain English Translation

The method selecting a CoMP subset based on UE aggregate CQI feedback now specifies that the aggregate CQI includes individual signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for each transmission cell under consideration. The cell selection process uses the individual SNRs of the cells, rather than a combined metric.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein noise in the respective signal to noise ratio includes channel noise and/or interference.

Plain English Translation

Regarding the method using individual SNRs within the aggregate CQI for CoMP subset selection, it is now clarified that the "noise" component in the signal-to-noise ratio calculation can include both channel noise and interference from other signals and cells.

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having computer readable instructions stored therein that when executed by processing circuitry perform a method, the method comprising: selecting with the processing circuitry a plurality of transmission cells as a subset of a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set of transmission cells used to support wireless communications with a user equipment (UE), wherein the selecting includes selecting the plurality of transmission cells based on a message from the UE that includes aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels between the UE and corresponding transmission cells of the plurality of transmission cells, the aggregate CQI being determined as a function of at least (1) a precoding matrix between the UE and a transmission cell, (2) a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell, (3) a system noise, and (4) interference from other transmission cells; ranking transmission cells, by the processing circuitry, in a cooperating set in descending order of channel quality and select a first n transmission cells to be included in the subset; and determining, by the processing circuitry, channel quality according to CQI i = CQI (  ∑ j = 1 P ⁢ h j H ⁢ w j  I + N ) wherein CQI i represents a channel quality indicator in a cooperating scenario i, i represents a cooperating scenario index among a plurality of cooperating scenarios, j represents an index of a transmission cell for a respective cooperating scenario, P represents a number of transmission cells in the cooperating scenario, w j represents a precoding matrix for communication between the UE and the transmission cell j, h j represents a channel matrix between the UE and the transmission cell j, I represents interference from other transmission cells than the cooperating set, N represents system noise, CQI(•) represents a channel quality indicator corresponding to a signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), ∥•∥ represents calculation of a norm, and • H represents a conjugated transposition.

Plain English Translation

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device stores instructions that, when executed, perform a method of selecting a subset of transmission cells from a larger coordinated multi-point (CoMP) set for wireless communication with a user equipment (UE). The selection relies on a message from the UE containing aggregate channel quality information (CQI) for at least two communication channels, which factors in precoding matrices, channel matrices, system noise, and interference. The method involves ranking transmission cells by channel quality, selecting the top 'n' cells, and using a formula that relates CQI to signal to interference plus noise ratio (SINR), incorporating precoding, channel characteristics, interference, and noise.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

November 28, 2012

Publication Date

June 27, 2017

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